Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney have agreed to exchange AFL players Heath Shaw and Taylor Adams.

Veteran defender Shaw, who played 173 games with Collingwood, will head north while midfielder Adams, 20, is returning home after being originally drafted from the Geelong Falcons in 2011.

“Taylor is a player a lot of clubs thought highly of when GWS picked him initially, and a player a lot of clubs were interested in when it became apparent this year that, for family reasons, he wanted to return to Victoria,” Collingwood national recruiting manager Derek Hine said.

“He comes to us with a deserved reputation for being strong in the contest, a talented stoppage player who has great endurance.

“Importantly, we feel there is a lot of development in his game still to emerge.”

Adams said he was “absolutely stoked” to be closer to his family.

“It was really a decision based on a desire to be closer to my family and friends and the idea of playing for a big club in Melbourne.

“I met the coaches and saw the facilities and knew then I wanted to be a part of it.”

Shaw leaves the club his father and uncle both captained after 10 seasons.

Collingwood senior coach Nathan Buckley wished him well.

“Heath brought passion and heart to everything he did at Collingwood. I hope he’s proud of what he achieved here. He should be,” Buckley said.

“Heath will always be a Collingwood premiership player and hopefully the opportunity to build something almost from the ground up with the Giants will see him recapture his best.”